The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including an image carrying member such as a photoconductor drum, and, in particular, relates to a cleaning mechanism for cleaning a surface of the image carrying member with developer.
In an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer that forms an image on a paper sheet by an electrophotographic system, a developing device is installed. The developing device develops, with toner, an electrostatic latent image that has been formed on a photoconductor drum (image carrying member). The developing device includes a developing roller that is disposed separate from the photoconductor drum by a predetermined gap. One of known developing systems is a developing system in which developer is magnetically drawn up from a developer storage chamber to the surface of the developing roller, and toner is supplied from the developing roller to the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum by an electric field generated by a developing bias applied to the developing roller such that the electrostatic latent image is developed with the toner.
This type of image forming apparatus includes a cleaning device that cleans the surface of the photoconductor drum by removing, by a blade member, deposits such as residual toner and discharge products that have adhered to the surface of the photoconductor drum. In addition, there is known an image forming apparatus that includes, in addition to the cleaning device, a magnetic brush forming portion that is configured to remove discharge products that have adhered to the photoconductor drum.